The modern nation of Algeria is in an area that was once a renowned center of Orthodox Christianity. The holy martyr St. Cyprian of Carthage, Blessed Augustine of Hippo, and many other saints hailed from North Africa. Today Christianity, albeit not yet Holy Orthodoxy, is returning to North Africa, but faces immense obstacles from both the government and many ordinary citizens, as the difficulties these eleven Christians have encountered indicate.
For previous ChristianPersecution.com coverage of the persecution of Christians in Algeria, see here.
“Algerian Christians Receive Reduced Fine for ‘Unauthorized Worship,’” International Christian Concern, May 9, 2022:
05/09/2022 Algeria (International Christian Concern) – A group of 11 Algerian Christians, originally arrested at the end of 2021, received a reduced sentence fine for “unauthorized worship” on April 28. The 11 Algerians, plus one French guest speaker, gathered in Tizi-Ouzou on December 4 for an event.
The police raided the gathering and arrested everyone for unauthorized non-Muslim worship, including the Christian who owned the space that was rented out. A judge sentenced the group to six months suspended sentence and a fine of 200,000 dinars (about $1440 USD). The French national paid the fine and then immediately left the country. The remaining Christians appealed in court on April 14 and received a verdict on April 28 that reduced the fine to 100,000 dinars but retained the suspended prison sentence….
Algerian authorities severely restrict the ability of Christians to worship in the country, including the closure of churches and the arrest of Christians living out their faith.
